Rent prices are higher than ever before, leaving singles and young families with no choice but to seek out roommates. It’s not easy to find someone (let alone multiple people) who you jive with well enough to live together, but with the right attitude, it’s possible to turn any home into a comfortable living space for everyone inside. These days, it’s not uncommon for people to work or study from their apartment or home, which is part of why searches for how to soundproof a roof have gone up significantly.

As Architectural Digest notes, the art of soundproofing is just adding more material to your current space to help block out noise; this can be done with carpets, wall hangings, blankets, furniture, bookcases, curtains and more. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to get the job done – in fact, we recommend starting with what’s already in your environment to see how much soundproofing you can do for free. If that’s not enough, then move on to the steps below to see which ones best suit your needs.

How to Soundproof a Room

The World Health Organization suggests sleeping in a room where noise doesn’t exceed 30 decibels, which equates to whisper volume. Of course, there’s no way to 100% soundproof your space, but we have found potential solutions that can bring more much-deserved peace into your daily life.

Increase Sound Barrier Around Windows and Doors

A perfect place to start when you’re considering how to soundproof a room is by examining your windows and doors, which can be a huge source of unwanted noise. Investing in special noise-reducing curtains has the added benefit of reducing excess light and heat in your sanctuary. If that feels too dramatic, noise-blocking window inserts are a great alternative; the latter can block up to 70% of what comes in through a single-pane window.

Other alternatives are acoustical caulk, which you can use to seal gaps around your window’s frame or replace your interior doors. If you swap hollow-core doors out with a composite option, you’ll quickly notice a difference in the amount of audible sound coming into and out of your room.

Make the Swap to Soundproof Rug Pads

If you live somewhere with carpets, buying some soundproof rug pads can make a world of a difference; the felt and memory foam products provide a dense layer of insulation to help reduce noise from within your home, such as young kids running around. As a bonus, they provide more comfort and support under your feet, bringing peace of mind when little ones tumble. Like curtains, rug pads keep in cool air during summer and warm air in the winter months, and they still prove useful in homes without carpets when placed beneath your bed to block noise.

See What White Noise Can Do for Your Sleep Schedule

The thought of dozing off in total silence is terrifying to some, which is what makes noise machines so great. While this technically doesn’t outright mute noise from outside your room, it does distract you from obnoxious sounds that can suddenly jolt you out of your sleep. You may already have a floor or ceiling fan that helps soothe you to sleep, but if not, you can find different ways to bring white noise into your bedroom. It’s worth noting that a sound machine shouldn’t exceed 50 or 55 decibels, especially when around babies or children.

In More Extreme Cases, Try Repainting or Soundproofing Panels

When all else fails, it might be time to take some more drastic measures. If you’ve been meaning to repaint anyway, check out Acoustical Services’ special wall coatings, designed to absorb mid-range sounds. After you apply base and finish coats on your wall, you can cover it with a regular color of your choice; this allows you to change the aesthetics of your space freely without relying on wall hangings and other decor to block out noise. If you want something more intricate, sound-reducing wallpapers now come in peel-and-stick rolls for easy at-home application.

If none of these ideas on how to soundproof a room are right for you, our final suggestion is putting up acoustic panels or foam insulation over your existing walls and covering that with another layer of drywall. This means you’ll lose a few inches of floor space, but it’s a definite way to increase your privacy.